When you retire, some of your expenses may go down – but health care is not likely to be one of them. In fact, your health care costs during retirement may well increase, so you may want to plan for these costs well before you leave the work force.

International Women’s Day, observed on March 8, celebrates the social, cultural and political achievements of women. Yet, women continue to face many challenges. For one thing, women still encounter gender-specific obstacles to their important financial goals, such as a comfortable retirement. If you’re a woman, what can you do to get past these barriers?

International Women’s Day, observed on March 8, celebrates the social, cultural and political achievements of women. Yet, women continue to face many challenges. For one thing, women still encounter gender-specific obstacles to their important financial goals, such as a comfortable retirement. If you’re a woman, what can you do to get past these barriers?

Last year, Americans spent more than $19 billion on Valentine’s Day gifts, according to the National Retail Federation, with the majority of this money going to flowers, candy, cards and an evening out. These gifts were thoughtful, of course, and no doubt appreciated, but they were also somewhat disposable, for want of a better word. On the other hand, some financial gifts can have a pretty long “shelf life.”

If you’re just starting out in your career, you will need to be prepared to face some financial challenges along the way – but here’s one that’s not unpleasant: choosing what to do with some extra disposable income. When this happens, what should you do with the money? Your decisions could make a real difference in your ability to achieve your important financial goals.

As an investor, your main goals will change at different times in your life. During your working years, you need to grow as many resources as possible for retirement. Once you retire, however, you will likely need to focus more on getting income from your investments. But what are your options?

We’re just about ready to open the door to 2017, so you might be thinking about some New Year’s resolutions. What’s on your list this year? More visits to the gym? Learning a new language? Mastering the perfect beef bourguignon? All worthy ambitions, of course, but why not also include some financial resolutions?

If you are a “millennial” – a member of the age cohort born anywhere from the early 1980s to the late 1990s – then you’re still in the early chapters of your career, so it may be a stretch for you to envision the end of it. But since you do have so many years until you retire, you’ve got the luxury of putting time on your side as you save and plan for retirement.

Hello friends and associates. The old saying goes “April showers bring May flowers.” Let’s hope that old adage holds up and we get some adequate rains to SoCal! This session I want to visit an issue that’s currently on the front pages, IT speaking, right now. We provide our information we share from experience, web site/tech site references, etc.

If you’re at the beginning of your career, you might not be thinking too much about the end of it. But even younger workers should be aware of – and saving for – their eventual retirement. And since you’ve got many years until you do retire, you’ve got a lot of options to consider – one of which is whether an IRA may be appropriate for you and, if so, what type.

For many people, the concept of retirement can be scary, both emotionally and financially. If you, too, feel somewhat anxious about what awaits you, you might feel more comfortable in knowing that, depending on where you work, you might be able to retire in stages.

A taxpayer who needs more time to complete his or her 2015 individual tax return can request an automatic six-month extension. The extension is obtained by filing IRS Form 4868 on or before the April 18, 2016 deadline.

Americans spent nearly $19 billion in Valentine’s Day gifts last year, according to the National Retail Federation. Much of this money went for gifts with short shelf lives, such as candy, flowers and restaurant meals (and about $700 million was spent on gifts for pets). There’s certainly nothing wrong with giving chocolates or roses. But this year, think about going beyond the classic gifts. Instead, use Valentine’s Day as an opportunity to determine how you can make gifts with long-lasting impact to your circle of loved ones.

A taxpayer’s filing status for the year is based upon his or her marital status at the close of the tax year. Thus, if you get married on the last day of the tax year, you are treated as married for the entire year. The options for married couples are to file jointly or separately. Both statuses can result in surprises for individuals who previously filed as unmarried. The surprises can be both pleasant and unpleasant.

Hello friends and associates – Happy Holidays! This session I want to visit security, in a different fashion, more directed to ‘protecting your security’. It’s an ongoing problem worth attention and vigilance.

You’ve no doubt heard about the risks associated with investing. This investment carries this type of risk, while that investment carries another one. And it is certainly true that all investments do involve some form of risk. But what about not investing? Isn’t there some risk associated with that, too?

Well it seems we may finally be getting some fall weather in the Heritage Valley! As the season turns and the leaves begin to fall another year-end approaches. Around the end of the year I always think ‘maintenance’. It’s something that has just become part of my natural thought process over the years being in the computer support arena. Here’s what I mean.

October 3, 2015 ushers in new laws and rules to protect homebuyers from being duped or acting without being informed. There are new forms replacing old forms and new timelines designed to slow down the purchase process. The rules apply only to transactions beginning October 3 or later.

Maybe you already have an email client (service) – this is probably true. If you do, maybe you’re thinking of changing. And yet, maybe you’re a ‘newbie’ and don’t’ have email and would like to have one but really don’t know where to start. I’ve hit on these items in my sharing of information in the past but it’s worth revisiting, particularly for anyone who missed it. Let’s share some views on the general terms and definitions that might help you navigate this path. Please keep in mind there are details/options here and there than can be tweaked with all the different options - the goal here is to just give you a general overview.

Once upon a time, inflation settled naturally into the housing market. There was also a time when the next home sold on almost any street would sell for a little bit more--just because. No one minded because we are geared to profit, cost of living increases and healthy inflation. But now, the garage has to be bigger or granite has to be in place of the old Formica tops.

This time around I’d like to share insight on some neat tools that used in the right environment can save you lots of time and money. While this suggestion can be applied really anywhere - the home computer, the system the kids use, a common work station at the office - an ideal environment is a ‘shared resource’ or ‘public system’. Basically what this means is a system or environment such as in a class room, library, social club, etc. shared by many different uses.

Robert Cantu, a local Santa Paula, Enrolled Agent, has successfully completed the requirements to earn the designation of a Certified Tax Resolution Specialist (CTRS). This dignified certification is earned by good standing members of the American Society of Tax Problem Solvers (ASTPS) who have met the educational, experience, and examination requirements and have proven expertise to resolve a wide range of tax problems. The services a CTRS provides to individuals and businesses include securing Offers In Compromise, Installment Agreements, Penalty Abatement, Innocent Spouse Relief, Release of Liens or Levies, Non-Filer issues and many others. Tax problem resolution is a unique area of professional practice that addresses a problem that affects a tremendous number of American citizens and residents.

There are proper places and uses for ‘local’ and ‘network’ printers. It depends what you’re doing and the workload as well. This time around, let’s clarify the two and perhaps this information can assist you in how to best align with your operations.

By this time most of us have finish our taxes and we don’t want to think about them again for a long while. However, that’s exactly what financially savvy taxpayers do! By taking a look at your tax situation before the year is over, you can take advantage of every legal means to reduce the amount you’ll pay in taxes next year.

The world of today is vastly different from the one that existed in, say, 1974. Innovations such as the Internet, smartphones, tablets, Facebook, Twitter and so on have made our lives more enjoyable, efficient and productive in many ways, and have vastly improved our access to the world’s knowledge. Yet when it comes to one important area of our lives — investing for the future — many of us may actually face more challenges today than we might have in the past.

While we are IT professionals here at HANDS-ON Consultations, and most of our work encompasses addressing of personal computer hardware and/or software issues, many of our tasks also include assistance with software applications, at many levels. Relative to that, I wanted to provide some information this time around that is something I believe business or home users can use.

Unless you’ve been way out of touch, you probably know that a key part of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires that taxpayers have qualifying health care coverage. Those without will need to qualify for an exemption, or pay a penalty. This “Individual Shared Responsibility” provision applies to both individuals and families, so while preparing your tax return this year, here are some things you ought to know.

Hardly a day goes by that tragic news doesn’t slam our senses. Nothing shocks like the tragedy of child abuse in any form. How can major injury and death befall a child at the hands of an adult they trust?

Warren Buffet, the “Oracle from Omaha,” is considered one of the most successful investors in history. Yet while the investment world may seem complex, Mr. Buffet’s advice is actually pretty simple. HAere are a few Buffet quotes, along with some suggestions on putting them to use: